35 One-Minute Weight Loss Secrets

Sneaky ways to slim down

Got a minute? Then you've got time to start shedding pounds! Here are dozens of successful strategies to cut calories and burn fat that take 60 seconds or less. With about 1,000 waking minutes in everyday, you'll find plenty of opportunities to slip these weight loss tips into your routine and watch the scale go down.

Combine your favorite juice (half of your usual amount) with plain or sparkling water. You can cut up to 85 calories per glass—and lose 5 pounds or more a year. (Try these 25 flat belly sassy water recipes to stay quenched and slim.)

Anytime someone offers you goodies (like that coworker with a serious baking habit)—and you accept—put $1 aside. Then give the money to your kids. When you literally pay for treats, you're more likely to say "No, thanks."

At a quick glance, that candy bar appears to contain 220 calories. But a closer look may reveal that it (or a bottle of juice, bag of crackers, or bag of nuts) provides two or more servings—which more than doubles those calories. If you're still baffeled by food labels, check out hese 5 Packaged Food Label Decoding Tips.

The caffeine frees fatty acids so that you burn fat more easily. And the polyphenols (antioxidant compounds) in green tea appear to work with caffeine to increase calorie burn. (If you have high blood pressure, skip this tip.)

Dining out more than five times a week may make you eat more—nearly 300 calories a day—than if you dine out less frequently. For more reasons to stay home, check out these 5 Ways Restuarants Trick You.

Use olive oil in place of butter. It's healthier and may also help you eat less. In one study, dippers ate a total of 52 fewer calories on average than those who used butter. (Just be sure you're using the right oil for the right cooking task with this guide.)

Chop carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or other veggies instead of shredding or slicing. It takes more effort to munch bigger pieces; you'll do more chewing and eat less during the main course.

Use an olive oil sprayer such as MISTO to add flavor to salads, chicken, fish, or pasta—without all the calories. A 2-second spray evenly distributes about ½ teaspoon of oil, compared to the 2 or 3 teaspoons you might get when pouring. That'll save you up to 100 calories per use.

If you already jog, speed up to a sprint. These brief intervals allow you to cover more distance, burn fat and calories—without lengthening your workout. The increased impact will also help make your bones stronger. (Try these three calorie-torching interval workouts.)

It's easy to overeat pasta, but not if you cook the right amount at the start. For a perfect portion, keep a quarter near your spaghetti. Its diameter is exactly the size of the 2-ounce stack (about 200 calories) that you should serve per person. Or buy a dry-pasta measurer sold in gourmet cooking stores.

When you really want those fresh-baked cookies, try this: Indulge in the smell for 30 seconds. Then place a small piece on the tip of your tongue for another 30 seconds. Savoring the smell and taste can help you stop at just one cookie. (Give this easy eating meditation a try to help put the brakes on overeating.)

The weight of food—not just the fat and calories—is what fills you up. Eat less and still feel satisfied with low-calorie heavyweights such as oranges, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, cooked spinach, collard greens, and broccoli.

Varieties rich in omega-3 fatty acids—tuna, mackerel, cod, and salmon—may help you drop pounds by improving fat metabolism. Overweight people who ate a reduced-calorie diet that included fish every day lost about 20% more weight than those on a fish-free diet.

To keep yourself on track, place quotes in strategic spots where you might need some motivation: on the fridge, TV, dashboard, or computer. Some suggestions: "You've come too far to take orders from a cookie." "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels."

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